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Din slowly became aware of himself in tiny degrees-first it got lighter in their rooms, then he felt the warmth of a body close to him. He opened his eyes to a very vibrant pair of blue ones staring intently at him.
They blinked. “Hello,” Luke breathed carefully.
Din quickly shut his own, still not quite comfortable being looked at directly in the face. But this was Luke.
“Um, hello. Are we…us?”
Luke made a small snigger. “We’re back, we’re bad, get over it,” he chanted, breathing into Din’s neck.
“Oh, thank the little gods.” Din rolled over. “Not that being you was bad, but-“
“Oh, no offense, babe. I am extremely happy to be back in my own skin. And hair.”
Din thought it was still irritatingly early to be awake, but Luke was probably one of those crazy people who went running before breakfast.
“I’m going to catch a run before the second sun’s up, wanna join me?” Luke wuffled deeper into Din’s neck hopefully.
“Ugh, no thanks, you go on,” he kissed Luke’s brow and rolled over for another hour of rest.
~~<<o0o>>~~
Catching up with him over caf, Luke offered a tentative smile. “Hey, I had a thought, wanna go into Mos Eisley for the day? Goof off and get a drink and I don’t know, see what’s happening beyond the Palace?” Din could tell Luke was trying very hard not to do tooka eyes, because as he put it, he was nearly thirty karking years old. And thirty year olds did not make tooka eyes. Except in very special circumstances.
“Alright, sounds good,” Din was agreeable to any scheme of Luke’s, kriffing tooka eyes or not.
Luke looked relieved.
“What, did you think I would put up a fuss?” Din was honestly confused.
Luke looked ashamed. “No, of course not, but you know, there’s the street market…” Din raised his eyebrows. “Okay.”
“And maybe I want to sort of look around.”
“Sure.” Din was in the dark still but the rewarding smile Luke gave him made him feel like he just won something even though he was not sure how.
“Oh, that’s good then,” Luke whooshed out a big sigh of contentment. “I love to visit the little booths, when I was young, I was hardly ever allowed to go to Mos Eisley. Too much scum and villainy, you know.”
“Karking right,” Din said staunchly. “But it’s better since Boba took over.”
~~<<o0o>>~~
The aforesaid Boba looked at the two of them from his throne. “All that nonsense or whatever you two were doing yesterday finished?” he asked gruffly. Din and Luke both stared at the ground, looking so, so suspicious that Boba had to glance over to Fennec. She nodded, enjoying this, whatever it was.
Din got brave and looked up at Boba. “Nope,” he shook his helmet, “No nonsense today, but thinking about heading into Mos Eisley, do you need anything or…” he left the question open.
“Hmm, I think a shipment of parts for some vaporators are due in, you could check on that for me.” Din relaxed, he wanted to do things for Boba, who had offered and done so much for him already.
Luke chirped up. “Be happy too, anything else?”
Boba looked at him, his hooded eyes making a very obvious tour of Luke’s body. Luke immediately placed himself behind Din, trying not to look flustered.
“I think that would be all for now,” he drawled, enjoying the unease radiating off the Jedi.
Finally Boba released them with a nod. “Go on, enjoy your day.”
Fennec curled her lip at their hastily retreating backs. She looked at Boba, giving a slight shrug.
“I know they’re idiots, but they are our idiots,” he said fondly.
She humphed at that, then took a big gulp of spotchka. “Kriffin right.”
~~<<o0o>>~~
Luke could barely contain his excitement as they buckled themselves in. “I know it is wasteful to use the ship just to go to Mos Eisley, but it will be so much quicker,” he offered.
Din’s back was in agreement, several hours on a speeder did not sound like a good time. “Since we’re kind of on business for Boba, it’s fine,” he tried to not sound so happy about it.
An hour later and they were landing in the short term spaceport block, Luke practically throwing himself down the ramp.
They had barely made it to the market area when Luke started inching his way to the boot/shoe booth.
Trying for casual, Luke asked, “Do you uh, wanna check out the leather goods with me?”
Din looked at him, then the booth and made an executive decision. “If it’s okay with you, I’d rather go see about some more weapons-“
“Okay, bye!” Luke was off like a shot. “Let’s meet up at the cantina in 2 hours!” he hollered over his shoulder.
Feeling like he dodged a bullet and wanting to see actual bullets, Din made his way over to a table of guns, ammo and knives on display. “Looking for anything in particular?” The vendor looked bored.
“Checking out your inventory first, I’ll let you know.” Din had never been attached to many tangible things, but deep in his soul he mourned his twenty year collection of weapons that he had lost with the destruction of the Razor Crest. He was essentially starting from scratch, and it seemed an overwhelming undertaking.
He bent down to look at a vibroblade when something snuffled at his cowl. Instantly his blaster was poking the stomach of a large Trandoshan, their arms raised in panic. “So sorry, sir, I just- I don’t know what came over me,” they said, embarrassment oozing off.
Din growled, and Luke ran up panting, a Sullustan boot clutched in his hand.
“Everything alright,” he tilted back up at the Trandoshan and Din.
“Yes, they were just. Leaving,” he poked the blaster harder into the soft tissue.
“Again, my apologies,” The Trandoshan gasped out and the large being turned and fled.
“What was that all about?” Luke marveled at the red aura emanating off his boyfriend.
“He…sniffed me,” Din said slowly, unable to wrap his head around someone approaching a full grown Mandalorian and smelling them.
Suddenly Luke realized he had merchandise in his hand and a nervous vendor waving at him. “Uh, okay, I’m still looking over there, see you soon?” He jogged back to more interesting wares.
The weapons vendor hadn’t moved. “I have more below if you know what you are looking for,” he offered grudgingly. Din felt happier and they fell into a nice discussion of IB-94 blasters versus the EE-3 Carbine.
Luke hurried back to the surprisingly well stocked booth. He handed over the boot, when a voice purred next to him. “So, Krayt dragon or Bantha leather?”
A well preserved human woman wearing the latest thing from ‘Galaxy Fashions’ holomag had placed a hand over Luke’s arm.
“Oh, I am not picky about the type of leather, more the cut or the designer,” he offered easily.
They fell into conversation over boots, leather and what the kark was House Utrellia thinking with their last collection for winter.
He glanced down at his favorite Chanel boots, a very expensive gift from his sister. They still looked great, but he wished he could get another pair as backup. He was having fun, he realized, he could only talk about these things with his sister and he missed it.
“I could buy you those.” The woman had moved closer right in his space, her eyes predatory. Luke sighed, the enjoyable time at an end. “You don’t want to buy these for me, you want to look at the belts over there.”
The woman deflated. “I think I will look at the belts,” she murmured to herself and Luke bit his lip. “I’ll try these on,” he told the vendor, the happiness settled more into resignation.
Din was experiencing issues of his own, having to draw his blaster and/or punch two more off worlders, one a species he had never seen before.
“Dude, seriously, you got some kind of aphrodisiac in that cloak?” the vendor wondered.
Din couldn’t figure it out either as he shook a Jawa off his leg, the tiny thing squealing indignantly. “I don’t know, but it’s making it hard to enjoy your wares,” he gritted out as the Jawa came back for another go at his thigh.
Finally Din had had enough, and stalked away to the next arms dealer. Caught in the crowd, he felt someone pinch his ass and he rounded on them, only to be met by several eyes determinedly not looking at him. Thinking fast, he sailed skyward, his jetpack making people scream with fear. He landed at another weapons booth, this time keeping a close watch on his back.
Luke was turning this way and that, checking out the boots in the low mirror.
“You look fantastic in those, let me get them for you.” A huge grizzled human leered at Luke, almost licking his lips.
“No, thank you,” he bent down to start taking one off.
“Baby, let me be sweet for you,” the man edged closer.
“I don’t think my Mandalorian boyfriend would like that,” he said pointedly, not sure if that line would even work. It made the man blink but he still surged closer.
Ah, kark it all. “You want to keep walking on, nothing to see here,” Luke told the man. A blank look showed in the man’s face. “Nothin’ ta see here,” he moved off dazed.
The vendor looked at Luke. “I mean, I get it, the whole,” he motioned to Luke’s black outfit and hair, “That going on is great, but honestly.” Luke eyed him and sighed. “It’s not usually this bad,” he said frankly. “Now what do you have in bantha leather?”
Din was done. He counted to three and turned, his flamethrower spouting an orange perimeter and the small crowd following him screamed and backed up. Silence.
“Mando,” a voice spoke up hurtfully. “That wasn’t nice.”
“Just- leave me the kriff alone,” he gutted out. Was there some kind of sex pollen in Mos Eisley today?
“I just want to have a drink with my- partner,” he pointed a warning finger to the group who was shuffling around like they were thinking of taking him down.
“So, back the kark off.” He waited while the herd slowly moved away, threatening the flamethrower again when one came back for another attempt. He practically ripped the cantina’s door off in an attempt to get away from whatever that was.
The cool interior of the bar was a relief and Din made his way to his favorite spot with an eye to all exits, and let his shoulders relax while he waited for Luke.
Fifteen minutes later, Luke showed up, power walking his way to Din, his perfect hair frazzled and a bag clutched under his arm. He flung himself into a bench, checking his tunic for tears.
“Dank ferrik, I have never had so much trouble before,” he sputtered. “I was accosted, propositioned and then people started to grab me.” He let out a big sigh. “Never had to mind trick so many in one day,” he grumbled, waving to the waitress.
“Same for me,” Din was still astonished that anyone would sexually harass a Mandalorian and actually expect to live.
The waitress came over, then widened her eyes, plopping down right next to Luke. “What can I get you boys,” reaching for Luke’s hand. He shoved her over, and she squeaked. “A Tatooine Sunset, and please keep your hands to yourself,” he ordered.
She pouted and looked at Din. “Corellian whisky.” After today, Din needed the good stuff.
“I had to use the flamethrower just to get inside the cantina,” he admitted. “It was like I was some sort of magnet.”
Luke’s good mood came back. “You are a magnet,” he patted Din’s vambrace. “You know that armour is sexy, right?”
“I didn’t even get to see all the weapons, since they wouldn’t leave me alone,” Din sulked. “I did get Boba’s parts, but they wanted to play hide and seek, with them being the prize.”
Luke choked back a laugh, then commiserated. “Yeah, today was supposed to be a nice uneventful day after what we went through. Kind of funny, though,”
Din was not mollified. “Probably some Jedi magic kark,” he groused.
“Hey!” Luke grinned.
A shadow crossed their table. “Good Sirs,” a slight voice voice interrupted. A nervous Twi’lek stood, twisting their hands.
Din and Luke eyed each other, waiting warily.
At their lack of reaction, he hastily went on. “My master would like to know if you could join him, for uh, a bit. Of fun.”
“Which one,” Din almost snarled.
The Twi’lek started in surprise. “Why, both of you,” he offered.
“NO.” Both men snapped in unison and Din made as if to stand up. The slave flinched in fear. “Yessir, I will advise-“
Luke sighed. “We’re done here, I think,” he looked sadly at the dregs of his melting drink. “I just wanted to have a nice date with my boyfriend.”
Din was so ready to leave this place. “I’m sorry things went crazy.” A thought crossed his mind. “You don’t think weird shit will happen every time…” His helmet tilted pensively.
“Nope.” Luke grabbed his bag. “Not going to think like that, let’s just get back.”
Din stood and held out a glove. “Come with me?”
‘Come with me or come with me’ Luke thought and forces down a hysterical giggle, stomping on his puerile brain. The day has taken its toll. He grabbed the offered hand, giving Din a blinding smile.
“Always.”
The trip to the ship was filled with yet more excitement as they scrambled through back alleys and escaped through more than one food shop's back door. Din was forced use his jetpack for them a few times. Luke has never been more relieved to reach the ramp to the ship.
~~<<o0o>>~~
Mos Eisley was a dot in the sand as they flew over. Luke clutched his shopping, excited to give Din the gift he purchased. It’s a cloak fit for a king, he hopes Din will wear it, even if he says it is too fancy. Full length and made of dark grey armorweave, the inside is lined with a deep blue velvet, tiny constellations worked in silver throughout.
In the other bag is a brand new pair of boots. Luke leaned back and closed his eyes in pure happiness.